China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s (CSSC) Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) recently obtained Approval in Principle (AiP) certificates from several classification societies for four vessel designs. 

Among the four is a 50,000 cubic metre (m3) ammonia bunkering vessel, which received AiP certificate from American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). 

It integrates liquid ammonia transportation and bunkering functions and can meet the long-distance transportation needs of liquefied gas goods such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquid ammonia. 

The ship is equipped with three IMO Type A independent liquid cargo tanks, and uses zero-carbon ammonia fuel to drive the main engine and generator, meeting the IMO greenhouse gas emission reduction strategy and actively responding to the latest greenhouse gas intensity (GFI) requirements of the 83rd meeting of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83). 

The entire ship is equipped with two independent 1,000 m3 deck liquid ammonia storage tanks, taking into account the ammonia fuel endurance requirements under multi-cargo loading and unloading, significantly improving operational economy and flexibility. 

In response to the needs of bunkering operations, it is specially equipped with a retractable bow thruster, side thruster and adjustable propellers to meet ABS’ DPS-1 notation and adapt to the complex port environment of bunkering operations. 

Meanwhile, a dual-fuel LNG/hydrogen-powered Ultramax bulker design and a 30,000 GT Roll-On/Roll-Off Passenger (ROPAX) ship designed to sail in the Mediterranean Sea received AiP certificates from RINA. 

SDARI also received AiP from Lloyd’s Register (LR) for a 113,000 dwt ammonia dual-fuel liquid cargo ship. The optimised propulsion system, specially configured with an ammonia dual-fuel power system and a wind-assisted propulsion system, is expected to save more than 10% energy, especially at low speeds. 

Photo credit: Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute
Published: 12 June, 2025

Hong Kong has achieved its largest single liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operation to date and the city‘s first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering with simultaneous cargo handling on 5 June, according to CLPe and CNOOC Guangdong Water Transport Clean Energy Company (CNOOC) on Tuesday (10 June). 

CLPe teamed up with CNOOC to supply around 10,000 cubic metres (m3) of LNG to the container vessel Hanoi Express from the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd during cargo handling at Kwai Tsing Container Terminals. 

The operation integrated bunkering and cargo operations in a streamlined process, enabling Hanoi Express to be filled with LNG within 24 hours while loading and unloading cargo at Kwai Tsing Container Terminals, significantly reducing its port turnaround time and operating costs.

The LNG bunkering operation was conducted by CNOOC’s Haiyang Shiyou 301, which is 184.7 metres long and 28.1 metres wide. As the first domestically built LNG bunkering vessel in the Mainland, it is equipped with both LNG transportation and bunkering capabilities and is designed primarily to supply fuel to international maritime vessels. 

Haiyang Shiyou 301 is also the largest LNG bunkering and transport vessel in the world, with a storage capacity of 30,000 cubic meters and a refuelling rate of 1,650 cubic meters per hour.

The HKSAR Government released an Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering last year and enacted the Shipping Legislation (Use of Fuels and Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2024 this year, promoting the city’s development into an international green maritime fuel bunkering centre.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Ms Mable Chan, said: “The success of this operation was made possible by the joint efforts of LNG supplier CNOOC and LNG bunker seller CLPe. Conducting bunkering during cargo operations—and with the bunkering of green maritime fuel which reduces carbon emissions—truly delivers a synergistic effect where one plus one is greater than two.”  

Ms Chan predicted the simultaneous operation would encourage the bunkering sector in Hong Kong to provide more services for vessels using LNG and other green maritime fuels. This would also give international shipping lines greater confidence and convenience in choosing the Hong Kong port for bunkering, cargo handling, and related operations, she suggested. 

CLP Holdings Chief Executive Officer Mr T. K. Chiang remarked that Hong Kong’s strategic geographic location makes it an ideal international shipping centre. As one of the world’s top ten bunkering centres, the city welcomes over 5,000 ocean-going vessels every year, and the switch to low-carbon and net-zero marine fuels is a growing trend in the global shipping industry.

Guangzhou Municipal Commerce Bureau Deputy Director Mr Wu Wei-hau said enhanced cooperation between Hong Kong and Guangzhou in the development of green marine fuel would play a key role in providing more internationally competitive green shipping services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

In November 2024, CLPe and CNOOC announced plans for a joint venture to provide LNG bunkering services in Hong Kong, aiming to accelerate the green transformation of the shipping industry. 

Related: Hong Kong unveils action plan to become green maritime bunkering centre
Related: CLPe and CNOOC form joint venture to offer LNG bunkering in Hong Kong

Photo credit: CLPe and CNOOC
Published: 11 June, 2025

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has delivered a total of 106,000 cubic meters of LNG marine fuel as of the end of May, according to Zhejiang Seaport Group on Tuesday (3 June). 

This marked the first time the annual bunkering volume exceeded 100,000 cubic metres (m3), exceeding the total volume and number of bunkering operations in 2024. 

With the acceleration of the decarbonisation of global shipping industry and change in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) carbon emission reduction regulations, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port faces the challenge of low-carbon transformation of international shipping and continues to expand and improve the its position as a seaport for bunker fuel supply. 

Since completing the first LNG bunkering business in Zhejiang Province at Meishan Port in June 2023, Ningbo Zhoushan Port has efficiently expanded its LNG bunkering services and has successively extended its business to the two core port areas of Chuanshan and Daxie. 

The port also successfully obtained bunkering qualifications for Zhoushan anchorage and gradually built a bunkering network covering the core operating areas. 

While continuously consolidating its LNG bunkering operations, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is actively developing a variety of alternative fuel bunkering operations such as biofuels and green methanol.

At present, the port has successfully completed the country’s first biofuel bunkering operation of a container vessel at sea and has achieved full coverage of biofuel bunkering operations at the two container terminals of Chuanshan and Meishan. 

Photo credit: Zhejiang Seaport Group
Published: 11 June, 2025